ABSTRACT

There is a resurgence of interest in mental models due to advances in our understanding of how they can be used to help design and due to the development of practical methods to elicit them. This book brings both areas together with a focus on reducing domestic energy consumption. The book focuses on how mental models can be applied in design to bring out behaviour change resulting in increased achievement of home heating goals (reduced waste and improved comfort). This book also offers a method to extract and apply mental models to interface design. The approach enables mental models to be applied across domains when behaviour change was sought, and is validated as a useful design method.

chapter 1|8 pages

Introduction

chapter 2|28 pages

Models of Models

Filtering and Bias Rings in Depiction of Knowledge Structures and Their Implications for Design

chapter 3|40 pages

The Quick Association Check (QuACk)

A Resource-Light, ‘Bias Robust’ Method for Exploring the Relationship between Mental Models and Behaviour Patterns with Home-Heating Systems

chapter 4|34 pages

Case Studies of Mental Models in Home Heat Control

Searching for Feedback, Valve, Timer and Switch Theories

chapter 6|48 pages

Mind the Gap

A Case Study of the Gulf of Evaluation and Execution of Home-Heating Systems

chapter 8|26 pages

Mental Model Interface Design

Putting Users in Control of Their Home-Heating Systems

chapter 9|10 pages

Conclusion